Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33836711›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2021

Is the "Brainwork Intervention" effective in reducing sick leave for non-permanent workers with psychological problems? Results of a controlled clinical trial.

Selwin S Audhoe, Jan L Hoving, Bonne J H Zijlstra, Monique H W Frings-Dresen, Karen Nieuwenhuijsen

Abstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Selwin S AudhoeAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health/Research Center for Insurance Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jan L HovingAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health/Research Center for Insurance Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bonne J H ZijlstraFaculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Monique H W Frings-DresenAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health/Research Center for Insurance Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Karen NieuwenhuijsenAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health/Research Center for Insurance Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. k.nieuwenhuijsen@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0003-1218-775X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBoth the presence of psychological problems and the absence of an employment contract are related to long-term sickness absence, prolonged work disability and unemployment. Studies researching the effectiveness of return-to-work interventions on these non-permanent workers, including unemployed and temporary agency workers and workers with an expired fixed-term contract, are lagging behind. Therefore, a return-to-work intervention called "Brainwork" was developed. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the 'Brainwork Intervention' in reducing the duration of sick leave compared to usual care over a 12-month follow-up.

methodsIn a multicenter controlled clinical trial, using a quasi-randomization procedure, we compared the Brainwork Intervention (n = 164) to usual care (n = 156). The primary outcome was the duration of sick leave. Secondary outcomes were the duration of sick leave starting from Social Security Agency transfer; the proportion of workers returned to work; the number of hours of paid employment during the follow-up period; the degree of worker participation; the level of psychological complaints; and the self-efficacy for return to work. Protocol adherence (Brainwork Intervention) was considered sufficient when at least three of the five protocol steps were followed. Cox regressions, linear and ordinal regression, and Mixed Model analyses were performed.

resultsAll 320 participants were analyzed. The Brainwork Intervention resulted in a non-significant reduction of the duration of sick leave compared to usual care (269 days versus 296 days; HR = 1.29; 95% CI 0.94-1.76; p = 0.11). For those working (46%) during the 12-month follow-up, the mean number of hours of paid employment was non-significantly higher in the usual care group (682 h versus 493 h; p = 0.053). No significant differences were found for other secondary outcomes. Protocol adherence was 10%.

conclusionsThe Brainwork Intervention as performed with a low protocol adherence did not result in a significant reduction of the duration of sick leave compared to usual care. It remains unclear what the results would have been if the Brainwork Intervention had been executed according to protocol.

trial registrationThe Netherlands Trial Register (NTR); NTR3976 (old registration number NTR4190). Registered September 27th 2013.

Indexed as

Return to WorkSick LeaveEmploymentHumansNetherlandsUnemploymentCounsellingInterventionParticipationPsychological problemsReturn-to-workSick leaveUnemploymentVocational rehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID33836711
PMCPMC8034165

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.